


Titillated

by LadyNyoko, RBnC



Series: Forever Is A Long Time [2]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-05
Updated: 2015-12-27
Packaged: 2018-05-05 01:26:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,964
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5355779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyNyoko/pseuds/LadyNyoko, https://archiveofourown.org/users/RBnC/pseuds/RBnC
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Danny and Vlad wake up and later talk more about their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Danny is 24. Half of Season 3 never happened, Phantom Planet included.
> 
> For more information on this AU, feel free to check out its blog on Tumblr at FIALT-blog.tumblr.com. Be warned, there will be spoilers for the future of the AU on this blog.

It was well into the morning by the time Vlad finally woke up, late enough that the sun had risen in its entirety by the time he'd managed to blink the sleep out of his eyes.

At first, he was confused by the solid weight of someone else in his bed, and there was a brief moment when he tensed up. At least until the events of the previous night came flooding back to him when he saw a too-familiar mess of black hair splayed against his sheets.

He relaxed in an instant, watching for a long moment as the other halfa continued to sleep. As much as he could have watched Daniel sleep the entire day, he also knew that breakfast wasn't going to make itself. Well, that and the other man did still have school to get to.

So it was with a somewhat reluctant sigh and a quick peck to the back of Daniel's head that Vlad casually phased through his own bed to leave him as undisturbed as possible, floating down to the kitchen to work on breakfast. He had the perfect thing in mind for a morning treat, and he would be damned if he let anyone ruin it.

It wasn't quite an hour later that he was returning to his bedroom, carefully balancing a tray on one arm.

"Daniel, are you awake yet?"

****

Danny’s internal clock wakes up around ten thirty and he groggily sits up in bed, feeling…cold. Which is weird, because his body doesn’t normally register cold. He looks around at the slightly foreign room in confusion before he remembers what happened yesterday.

Danny smiles as he plays with the sheets in his hands.

He was in Vlad’s bed. Because he’d slept there. With Vlad. Together.

And they didn’t even do anything sexual.

Danny looks around the room, hoping to spot Vlad but the older Halfa isn’t there. He’s a little disappointed, but he knows Vlad probably had stuff he needed to do.

 _’I have an hour and a half before I have to be in class, so I could just…’_ Danny lays back down in Vlad’s spot and buries his face in the pillow.

He wraps the blankets around himself and promises he won’t actually fall asleep.

It’s the only lie he regularly tells himself.

Danny’s asleep by the time Vlad comes back to the room.

****

It wasn't too difficult to notice just where Daniel had moved to in his absence.

Vlad couldn't help but smile at the sight, and he moved closer to the bed before sitting down on its edge. Hopefully the shift in weight would stir the other halfa enough that his words could wake him up. He would really loathe to attempt to shake him awake while balancing his breakfast on one hand.

"Wake up, badger. You don't want your breakfast to get cold."

Of course, even cold crepes and bacon were still delicious. But he'd still much prefer Daniel to eat them while they were still warm.

****

Danny stirs at the soft words and groans. But he knows better than to try and sleep through someone waking him up, so he pushes himself up.

That’s when he notices Vlad sitting next to him.

Danny yawns and rubs the sleep from his eyes, “Morning.”

He tries to run his hand through his hair, but his hand gets caught in the tangles. Which is why he normally sleeps with his hair in a braid, but he’d passed out in record time with Vlad’s arms around him.

****

Vlad offered the other halfa a warm smile as he woke up, waiting until he'd sat up before gently levering the tray into Daniel's lap. It was perfectly put together - the crepes were golden and fluffy, and the powdered sugar and chocolate drizzle were astoundingly neat. And there was a little chocolate heart drawn on the plate, placed perfectly between the edge of the crepe and the slices of bacon.

"Good morning, sleepyhead."

The older halfa seemed relatively alert by now, but there was still evidence he'd woken up not long ago himself. He had yet to change out of his pajamas, and while his hair was still neatly braided it was slightly mussed from sleep.

"Did you sleep well?"

****

 Danny stares at Vlad who, even without grooming himself in any way, looks incredibly handsome in his pajamas and loose braid.

Danny stares down at the tray of delicious looking breakfast before him in shock. Vlad had cooked him breakfast? And brought it to him in bed??

Vlad’s question startles him out of his stupor and he looks up at the older man, “I slept great, thanks. Um. You…made me breakfast?”

****

Vlad smiled at Daniel, reaching forward to gently run his fingers through the other halfa's hair. He had enough experience detangling with his own fingers that it was relatively easy for him to sort out the other man's hair, and he hummed softly as he did.

"You didn't expect me to let you leave the house unfed, did you?"

His question was teasing, a light jab at expectations and an unfortunate reminder that the other man did have classes today. And as much as he would have loved to spend the entire day with him, he wouldn't allow himself to come between Daniel and school. They could wait until the weekend just fine.

****

 Danny laughs, “I was expecting like…eggs and toast or something. I’ve never had a crepe for breakfast. Especially not one that looks so delicious.”

A thought occurs to Danny and he falls into a fit of giggles, “Oh god, you’re not going to try and ‘woo’ me still, are you?” He hopes his voices comes out teasing as he tries – and fails – to stop laughing.

And he realizes that he’s being a little mean, so he gently moves the tray so he won’t accidently hit it and leans over. He places a chaste kiss on Vlad’s lips before following it up with another.

After the second one he forces himself to scoot back and tell Vlad, “Thank you. It looks amazing.”

****

“Perhaps if I had to fix you breakfast in ten minutes or less."

Vlad's tone was teasing, although he flushed rather vividly the second Daniel teases him about wooing. How was he supposed to know that had apparently become a dated term? He supposed his vocabulary was one of the very few dead giveaways of his age, so he couldn't exactly fault the other halfa for the teasing.

But he smiled just a bit at the chaste kisses, pressing into them until Daniel finally scooted back.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I can assure you, I have absolutely no ulterior motives."

It was a bold faced lie, of course, but he made no attempts to hide it with his tone. He was going to treat Daniel right, and that meant he was going to romance him good and proper.

****

Danny doesn’t make a comment about Vlad’s lie – they both know what kind of guy Vlad is – but he turns back to his breakfast with excitement.

He’s had plenty of Vlad’s desserts before – sweets that Danny’s never even heard of – but he’s never had one of Vlad’s crepes. He’d had to study for one of his midterms the only other time Vlad made them and Jazz had taunted him about it for weeks afterwards.

He snatches up the tray again and places it between him and Vlad before excitedly digging into it.

It takes even better than he’d imagined. Fluffy and light and there was a perfect balance between pastry and chocolate and, oh my, he might just die from happiness but what a way to go.

“Vlad,” Danny hesitates before continuing, “This is amazing. This is perfect, oh my god how did you get this good, I’m going to die.”

Originally, he was going to blurt out the same thing he always did when Vlad made him sweets. But Danny figured telling Vlad ‘Marry me, Vlad, and cook me sweets for the rest of my life’ would be a little awkward now that the two of them were together.

****

Vlad was half expecting the usual response to his baked goods, namely a half-joking marriage proposal. He was a little surprised when they didn't come, although Daniel's response to his cooking was no less enthusiastic.

"Oh, do try not to. How would I explain that to your sister?"

His voice was light and teasing as he watched Daniel eat. It almost made him feel... Well, for lack of a better description, light and fluttery. And he was a little surprised to find himself beginning to float after a few minutes of sitting there and watching the other halfa.

****

Danny panics when he sees Vlad floating just a bit off of the bed.

“Vlad! Are you okay??”

The only time Danny starts floating is when he’s upset or angry, so he’s afraid he’s made Vlad upset in some way or another.

****

The worry in Daniel's voice brings Vlad back around just a bit, and he hums curiously before becoming more conscious of the fact that he was, in fact, floating a good six inches off the surface of the bed. After a moment he shifted to cross his legs, letting them dangle in the air as he leaned forward to regard the other halfa.

"I'm fine, Daniel. Perfectly content, actually."

There was nothing in his voice or his expression to indicate he was being anything but perfectly honest. In fact, there was an almost dreamy look on his face as he moved to rest his chin against his knuckles.

****

Danny blushes as Vlad looks at him, face content, and looking…happy.

Danny tries as hard as possible to not turn invisible while he finishes his breakfast. And it really is the best breakfast ever, even if it is a little hot for Danny’s taste. But then again, everything was a little hot for him unless it was frozen.

Danny glances over at the clock and grumbles.

“I should get dressed and leave if I’m going to get to class on time.”

****

Vlad floated back down to the bed after a moment, just the slightest bit disappointed to have his domestic bubble popped. The other man was right, of course. As much as he'd love to keep him here all day, he couldn't be that selfish.

"Alright. There was a change of clothes in your overnight box as well."

He offered Daniel a quick smile, leaning forward to press another quick kiss on his lips. It was just as well. He needed to shower and do just a little work today, make sure everything was on track with all his holdings and start working on getting things ready for the other man to move in.

****

Danny kisses Vlad once more before letting himself fall through the bed and downstairs. He easily finds the stupid box of clothes and changes. Once he’s dressed, Danny makes sure he has everything before putting his shoes on.

He contemplates finding Vlad to kiss him once more before leaving but instead he calls out “I’M LEAVING NOW!” before actually leaving.


	2. Chapter 2

When Danny gets back to the house it’s six at night. He’d gone to his classes, talked to his dorm mate about him moving out, grabbed some of his clothes in case he spent the night again, and gone to see his boss.

Suffice to say, he won’t have to go back there ever again.

He walks through the front door after parking his bike, and calls out, “I’m back!”

****

It was just his luck that Vlad hadn't started dinner yet that night. He'd been uncertain on whether or not he should expect Daniel to come back, since they hadn't explicitly made plans.

So he was pleasantly surprised to hear the other halfa's motorcycle pull in that night, tucking a bookmark into place and snapping his book shut. He set it aside before getting up to greet Daniel, once again perfectly put together.

"Welcome back! I wasn't sure whether or not I should be expecting you, to be quite honest."

****

Danny hesitates.

'Shit. I should have called or asked or -'

"Sorry. I can go if you want, I just..." Danny bites his own tongue to stop himself from saying something stupid.

****

"No, no. Don't be ridiculous."

Vlad was quick to shut down the train of thought he saw coming, moving over to give Daniel a quick peck on the lips. Whether he'd been expecting him or not, he would always be happy to see him.

"I'm glad you came."

****

Danny returns the kiss without thinking and when he realizes what he'd done he becomes kind of giddy.

He'd gone to kiss Vlad back without even thinking about it. Because he could. Because they were...dating?

What was he supposed to call Vlad? His boyfriend? The older Halfa definitely wasn't his lover.

"So, I have good news."

****

"Oh, do you?"

Vlad was a little surprised to have Daniel coming home with good news. The other man had only been gone... What, six or seven hours? He couldn't imagine what might have happened in that time period to warrant good news...

Well, besides his conversation with the other halfa's trigonometry teacher about not failing students solely because they had higher IQs than him. Which had gone surprisingly well once he'd threatened to bring it up with the dean's office and revealed just who was calling on behalf of an unnamed student.

Thankfully, it wasn't particularly suspicious. One of Vlad's many holdings was a charitable foundation that covered all sorts of things from medical bills to college tuition. The so called "Master's Scholarship" was held by thousands of students across the country - at least two dozen of which went to Yale alone.

And Vlad did like to keep tabs on his kids. So it wasn't particularly suspicious that he may have caught wind of such practices and taken a keen interest in setting things right.

****

Danny smiles, "Yeah. Okay, so, first off. Mr. Singer, my Trig teacher, can SUCK IT. The Dean's office came in during class and pulled him out and afterwards he asked to talk to me and told me that I wasn't in danger of flunking. He looked like someone hit him where it hurts and I am so happy ‘cause that dick deserves it."

He takes a deep breath before continuing, "So after class I went back to my dorm and Ricki, you remember Ricki, my dorm mate right? You practically gave him a heart attack the second day of school when you showed up out of nowhere? Yeah, we had a talk and I told him I'd be moving out and he was a little upset about the short notice but his boyfriend has been looking for a place so he's going to offer the dorm as a secret."

Another deep breath, "And after that I went to talk to Gordi, my boss, and there was an 'accident' in the shop and they maaaay have had to close it down and I miiiiight have quit slash gotten fired but I don't ever have to go back so I told Hal off for being such a dick and oh my god that was such a relief."

He sucks in another breath before asking, "How was your day?"

****

It was very difficult for Vlad to keep a straight face in regards to the news about Daniel's teacher. But he couldn't quite hide the small twitch to his lips at the news that the man had been properly admonished. He would have to remember to send a fruit basket to the dean later.

The news about Daniel's roommate was just a bit more surprising; although Vlad supposed he shouldn't be too surprised. He did indeed remember Ricki. After he'd gotten over his initial fright during the older halfa's first personal visit, they had a long conversation in Spanish. The boy was intelligent, and Vlad had even offered him a paid internship with the potential for a full time position once he graduated.

But perhaps what had him the most interested was the brief mention of some sort of accident at work. His brow rose in a delicate arch, a visible display of both his curiosity and expectation for an answer.

"What kind of accident, Daniel?"

****

Danny laughs, "Nothing they can prove was my fault. Let's leave it at that." Danny leans up and kisses Vlad.

"Do you have anything to eat? I'm starving."

****

"Ghost powers for revenge? Tsk tsk, Daniel."

But Vlad's tone was teasing, and he leaned into the kiss easily enough, sliding a hand around the other halfa's shoulders to lead him to the kitchen. While he hadn't prepared dinner yet, a late snack of the leftovers from the other day would hardly spoil either of their appetites.

"If you'd like, you can have that raspberry gelato from yesterday. I haven't started on dinner just yet. Is there anything particular you're in the mood for?"

****

Danny laughs at the admonishment.

"I've used my powers for less." He thinks back to high school and the revenge he'd gotten on Dash and a few other bullies.

"I'd love some gelato, actually. Can't believe I turned it down yesterday. As for something to eat, I'll eat just about anything you put in front of me." He tells the older man as he sits on the counter.

He winks, but he doesn't think Vlad caught it. Oh well.

****

"What would your father say?"

Vlad's tone was mocking, however. They both knew he was in no position to scold Daniel for how he used his powers, given his abuse of his own in the past. But it was still fun to tease, and it was as natural to him as breathing at this point.

Once Daniel was seated in the breakfast nook - which really saw more use than the formal dining room barring larger gatherings - he moved to retrieve the container of gelato from the freezer. Three perfect scoops were measured out into a bowl before he set it in front of the other halfa, along with a spoon, and returned to begin gathering things for dinner.

"Hmmmm, how about steak? I have some kobe I've been meaning to cook soon."

****

Danny's eyes might as well be stars with how he stares adoringly at the Gelato handed to him. He reverently takes a bite out of the frozen treat and practically moans around the bite.

"Oh my gooood." Danny moans, "Jesus, how are you better at this than me? Like I've spent the last six years making ice cream but your Gelato just shot it all out of the water. What the hell, Vlad, this isn't fair."

****

"It's all in how you make it, Daniel."

But Vlad wasn't going to pretend that the sound of the other halfa enjoying the dessert didn't affect him in the least. A low shudder rolled down his spine as he began the process of cooking dinner. Cutting potatoes, and seasoning them along with stalks of asparagus before finally sliding them into the oven.

The steak required the least work, of course. Just the tiniest bit of seasoning would go a long way with such high quality meat

"How would you like your steak cooked?"

****

 "Medium rare, please." He notices the shiver that took over Vlad's body and smirks while the other Halfa's back is turned.

Apparently Vlad wasn't immune to the noises he made.

"Vlad, seriously, this is the best." He moans around another spoonful, careful not to make it too obvious.

****

"Excellent choice."

Decision made, it was a simple matter to fire up the stove and heat the pan just so. And the second that it was hot enough, two perfectly cut steaks met the surface, sizzling in a way that was almost downright pornographic. Much like the sounds Daniel was making. _Oh heavens help him._

"I'm glad you're enjoying it. Perhaps next time I can make you a nice sorbet."

****

"Don't tease me, Vlad." Danny stops and stares at the back of Vlad's head, "Can you really make sorbet?"

His voice comes out a little more...breathless than he'd intended but _sorbet_.

"Tell me you can actually make sorbet. Please."

****

"I know how to make many things, Daniel."

Vlad smiled slightly, glancing briefly back at his companion. Thankfully he'd successfully distracted him from making those noises. He was fairly certain the other man had been doing that on purpose.

"Any particular flavor you like? The best tend to be flavored with fruits, or wine or liqueur for a fun alcoholic treat."

****

Danny hops off the counter and lets himself float just behind Vlad. He laces his arms around Vlad's neck from behind, making sure to give the older man enough room to move and cook.

"Chocolate Liqueur, please." Danny hums, burying his face in Vlad's hair.

****

"Now, the sorbet might have to wait until tomorrow, badger. A flash freeze won't balance the flavors right, I'm afraid. It needs to be done the old fashioned way."

Vlad hummed softly, tilting his head just enough to give Daniel a quick peck on the cheek. It was different, but nice, to be able to cook like this. Comforting, even. Daniel's presence was solid against his back and rather than distracting him, it allowed him to focus better than usual.

"But if there's anything you'd like baked, I can handle that fairly easily."

****

"Oooh, can you make Strawberry shortcake?" Danny moans, getting excited at the thoughts of sweets, "What about pound cake. Oh, oh, what about Boterkoek?? I haven't had that since grandma was alive."

****

"Boterkoek... Boterkoek..."

Vlad paused, tapping his lower lip thoughtfully as he tried to come up with the dessert.  The name sounded familiar, but it took him a moment to place it to a specific dish. But the moment of epiphany was fairly obvious in the way he exhaled a soft 'aha!'

"Dutch butter cake, if I'm not mistaken? I may have to look up a recipe to be sure, but I do believe I have everything I need for that."

****

"Yesssssss," Danny lets out a weird mix between a moan and a hiss, "thank you." He kisses Vlad on the cheek.

"In the meantime, can I have some more Gelato?" He pleads, "It was really, really good. And you don't have to worry about me losing my appetite."

****

"No, I don't, do I? You do have the metabolism of a half-ghost," Vlad teased, leaning into the kiss and indulging in a small smile. It would be another minute before he needed to turn the steaks, and still longer before they were done. But he supposed another scoop of gelato or two would last just long enough.

"Do you think two more scoops would be enough? Even if you can eat a lot, you should save enough room to properly enjoy dinner and today's dessert."

****

"YES! Thank you!" He leans around and kisses Vlad on the lips before pulling away and sitting back on the counter.

He'd get it himself, but Vlad was very particular about who could touch what in his kitchen.

****

Vlad chuckled, waiting just long enough that he could turn the steaks before moving to retrieve two more scoops of gelato for Daniel. Really, sometimes the other man could be such an overgrown child. But he had to admit, he found it oddly charming.

"Here you go. Now please get your cute butt off my nice clean counters."

****

Danny's face overheats as he grabs the bowl. He hops off the counter and leans against it.

"You think I have a cute butt?"

****

"Of course I do. I think you have a cute everything."

Oh, Vlad was going to have fun with this new game. Seeing just how often he could manage to make Daniel blush.

****

"Well, thank you." Danny feels like he's going to explode and he has the hardest time keeping his smile off his face.

"I um...thanks."

****

"You hardly need to be thanking me for that."

Vlad glanced back towards Daniel out of the corner of his eye, indulging in an amused smile. Only a few minutes more and dinner would be ready, so naturally he'd have to find some way to spread out the conversation. He hummed thoughtfully for a moment before latching onto a subject.

"So, were you planning on staying the night again?"

****

"Is that alright?" Danny asks, staring down into the Gelato, afraid to see Vlad's reaction.

"I mean...I enjoyed it. Sleeping with you. I haven't slept that well in a really, really long time."

****

"Of course it's alright, Daniel. Truth be told, I haven't either."

Of course, sleeping well was relative for Vlad. Any night he slept through without interruptions he would consider decent. But a dreamless sleep like last night's, where not only had he slept but overslept... Well, it was difficult to beat that these days.

"Do you have everything you need? I'm sure we could make a quick run to the market after dinner if you forgot something."

****

"I brought everything I'd need from my dorm. Unless you had plans to do something other than sleeping?" Danny uses as suggestive a voice as he possibly can.

****

"Not tonight, I'm afraid. It hasn't even been twenty four hours since we started... Dating?"

Vlad looked a little bit unsure about the terminology. Truth be told, they hadn't really discussed much beyond the fact that they cared about one another. Perhaps that would be a wise discussion to have over dinner. Figure out where the boundaries were and what their relationship actually was.

****

 "Aww, my boyfriend's so old fashioned." Danny throws his words out there, waiting for either a confirmation or denial from Vlad.

His heart beats wildly in his chest as he waits for Vlads response.

Had he been to forward?

****

"Your boyfriend wants to treat you right. And that means a little build up," Vlad confirmed with a small smile. It made his heart flip just to be able to say it, although he didn't dare show. "We build intimacy first. Sex comes later."

****

Danny smiles but doesn't do the triple backflip he wants to.

Vlad had agreed to the term boyfriend so easily. Like he'd been happy.

"I'm alright with that. I mean, it's new, but I'm okay with it."

****

"Speaking of which, I do believe there is something we need to talk about," Vlad hummed softly, gently moving the cooked steaks to a plate. They still needed a minute to sit before they were deemed done enough for consumption, but that just gave him time to finish off the potato bites and asparagus. "How... public do you want to be about us?"

****

Danny hesitates.

"Well, I mean...I'd like to tell people about us...but I'm okay with whatever."

****

"Daniel, I'm perfectly comfortable with being entirely public about our relationship. I wanted to be sure I was aware of your boundaries," Vlad replied, glancing towards the other man with a smile.

But after a moment he ducked down to remove the tray from the oven, tapping his fingers along the metal without a thought. In a brief moment of carelessness, he'd neglected to put on an oven mitt. Not like the hot metal against his hand phased him at all.

"But you should be aware, entirely public can be a lot. If you aren't prepared for some very public attention due to association with me, I might advise a little subtlety for a while. My life does tend to be highly publicized, and you're a part of that now."

****

Danny hesitates.

"Did my parents not tell you? About the paparazzi?"

Danny watches in fascination as Vlad handles burning hot cook ware.

****

"No, I don't believe they did. Care to enlighten me?"

Vlad set the tray down on the stove, checking over the potatoes and asparagus to make sure they were fully cooked. Everything certainly looked done to perfection. And he believed the time it would take to cool would be just long enough to get the Boterkoek batter mixed and in the oven.

"Possibly while setting the table, if you'd be a dear."

****

"Okay," Danny stands up straight and moves over to the cupboards and grabs the dishes.

"Well, after you and my parents made up...well, you started coming over more and...the press noticed. They started coming over all the time, asking about you and trying to take pictures."

"At first it was really annoying and then it got extremely annoying. Dad actually chased one guy away with a bat once when he snuck into Jazz's room."

****

"Well I can't blame Jack for bringing out his... Oh, what does he call it? The anti-creep stick?" Vlad teased gently, although there was a slight frown as he pulled up a recipe on his phone for the dessert. And just his luck, he did have everything he needed. And he could get the preparation done in just the right amount of time.

****

"Yeah, that doesn't really compare to the time my mom tried to break one of their necks." Danny winces, "He'd managed to takes a series of pictures that...rather solidly proved I was Phantom. Mom broke his camera and scared him into silence. Or another state, I don't know what she said but he looked terrified."

****

"Again, I can hardly blame her," Vlad replied, although he scowled at the news. He was a little bit astonished this was the first time he was hearing of the Fenton's trouble with the paparazzi. If he'd known... Well, he'd likely have done a good handful of incredibly rash things. Perhaps it was better they'd kept it from him.

"Are they still giving you trouble?"

****

"Not really?" Danny shrugs as he finishes setting the table, "I've learned that they can't sell photos if you're holding up your middle finger so I do that whenever they do come around."

"Also, I tend to wear really similar clothing, so people think it's all from the same day. Can't really sell those either. But its not all that often."

****

"You are clever, aren't you?"

Vlad had gotten used to the attention himself, and his signature look had helped a great deal in cutting down on the paparazzi except in appropriate events. Well, that and the restraining orders he was well known to hand out and viciously enforce. And the bulky bodyguards that were more for show than actual safety.

It was only a moment later that he finished mixing the batter, pouring it into an appropriately sized cake pan and sliding it into the oven as instructed. And with that out of the way the plates were set and he moved to join Daniel at the table.

"But, I should warn you. If word that we're dating is made public, you can expect twice that attention for at least three months. Just... Think about it?"

It wasn't that Vlad didn't want it to be public. Oh, he'd be overjoyed! But he wasn't exactly against taking baby steps to ease Daniel into it rather than just announcing it to the whole world all at once.

****

"You make this sound like it's a big deal. You know I deal with the press whenever I'm out as Phantom. I'm used to it. And I want everyone to know we're dating." Danny smiles at Vlad, "I mean, why would I want to hide the fact that I love you?"

****

"You do, but you won't be able to escape this. I just want to make sure you're prepared for it," Vlad said gently, returning Daniel's smile and reaching over to squeeze his hand. He wouldn't admit it, but he was just a little relieved that the other halfa felt no need to hide it. It would make things a lot easier. "I never meant that we should hide it."

****

"Good, cause I don't want to." Danny smiles and squeezes Vlad's hand in return.

"You know, I think this is the most I've ever discussed a relationship with someone??"

****

"Have you ever actually dated someone? You seemed embarrassed just by the implication I might be trying to woo you."

Vlad's tone was teasing, and he arched a brow in Daniel's direction before reluctantly pulling his hand back. It was better than they ate their food before it got cold. Especially the steak.

****

"Excuse you, I've dated plenty of people before." Not a lie. "I dated Sam for a while, but that got real weird real quick."

"Valerie, but...again, real weird real quick. There were a few other girls in high school."

Danny swallows thickly, "Once I got into college, though, it was less...dating and more one night stands. Groping in the dark and awkward mornings." He shrugs, "They were always cool with it, though."

****

"Well, dating in high school and dating as an adult are quite different."

It only took a flick of his knife to make his first cut into his steak, and as expected it had cooked perfectly. A flawless medium rare and a flawless marble on top of that. He smiled softly as he took a bite, savoring it for a long moment before continuing.

"Either way, I'm glad you felt comfortable discussing it with me. I... Didn't want to assume anything."

****

"I know dating in high school and dating as an adult is different. I also know one night stands with guys who are only using to you explore their sexuality isn't exactly something you want to count on your 'past relations' list, but it's there and it happened. So I'm counting it."

****

"Relationships don't necessarily have to include your past sexual exploits. And truthfully it tends to be better if you don't include the two under the same category," Vlad hummed, stabbing a chunk of potato with his fork. He had to admit, he was perhaps a little curious about Daniel's past, but he wasn't going to pry into it.

Not all people were comfortable talking about past partners, and with anyone else Vlad would have shied away from the conversation, himself.

****

"Have you ever been in a relationship?" Danny asks, feeling a bit...nervous? Awkward?

He knew Vlad had a...thing for his mom for a long, long time ago. Which was something that had always sat at the back of his mind, taunting him, telling him that Vlad just wants a surrogate for his mom. Since he couldn't have her, he got the next best thing.

****

 "I have. Most of the ones in my recent years ended... Poorly."

It was an unfortunate truth that came with being so influential. Most of the people he'd taken interest in outside of his obsession with Maddie had only intended to use him. It was part of why he'd stopped dating entirely for so many years. Perhaps it had even been the driving force behind his pursuit of Daniel's mother.

Who better to pursue than someone who didn't care about who he'd built himself into, and was interested (or not interested) in him solely because of who he was as a person?

"I didn't date much when I was in college. I had my eyes on someone else, as I'm sure you're well aware. And then after my accident... Well, it took me years to get back on my feet. And once I did start dating I found the nasty side effect of being so wealthy. People tended to want to use you for your money."

He sighed.

"It was a bit of a novelty at first. But it wore thin soon enough."

****

Danny turns up his nose at that, "I don't understand how people can be okay with using someone like that."

"I mean, I can't even accept a gift without feeling a whole world of guilt." Danny shakes his head, "Sorry you had to go and suffer through people like that."

Danny reaches out and takes Vlad's hand in his own.

****

Vlad smiled and gently squeezed Daniel's hand, deciding to focus on his vegetables for the time being. He could easily eat those one-handed, rather than breaking the contact.

"It's alright. It prepared me for a lot of other nonsense in the future. It could have gone a lot worse. Most of the people I dated were rather shallow and only wanted material goods, rather than people who genuinely wanted to manipulate me."

****

Danny sighs and pushes away his plate. He leans on his other hand and looks away.

"I guess so."

He's got a pit in his stomach the size of Rhode Island and he doesn't really feel like eating. It seems like every time he tries to talk to Vlad, they end up on some really sensitive topic. Vlad always acts like it's not a big deal or that it didn't really hurt him and it makes Danny feel even worse.

****

"Uh uh, absolutely not. I didn't cook that meal for you to let it sit there and get cold."

Vlad's tone was firm, but still teasing. He squeezed Daniel's hand, pulling it up and gently pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles. It warmed him that the other halfa seemed to get so upset by his past, but at the same time he really wished that he didn't.

"Daniel, I've had years to come to terms with the things that have happened to me. I've accepted them for what they are, and for how they've shaped me into the person I am today. I share them with you because you're one of the few people in my life that I don't feel the need to hide anything from. So please, don't let my past spoil your appetite."

****

It does nothing to return his appetite, but Danny is a college student. And despite Vlad's offers, he's had to eat like a college kid for a few years now.

So he drags his plate back over and picks at his food. Even if he wasn't raised poor and a college student, Vlad's words would have guilted him into eating the older mans’ cooking.

"That doesn't mean it's right."

****

"I never said that it was. Just that I've come to terms with it."

It was all the reassurance that he could give. It had taken time, he'd admit that. And perhaps he'd even gotten petty revenge against those he'd felt had wronged him the most. But in the end, he'd made peace with his past and he wished Daniel would be able to as well.

****

Danny finishes his food in silence, kicking himself for always bringing up bad topics to talk about.

He wants to bring up something to talk about, but...he's afraid he'll pick another topic that will go south.

****

Vlad sighed softly as Daniel fell into silence, finishing up the rest of his dinner in the silence that stretched between them. He stood to gather their dishes and take them to the sink. By the time he was finished washing them off, it was time for him to return to the oven to retrieve the finished Boterkoek.

"Would you still like dessert?"

****

"Sure." Danny answers the question without really hearing it.

He feels guilty. They'd been having such a good day, too.

Out of nowhere, Danny's phone buzzes. He pulls it out and checks, seeing Jazz's name.

 _'Oh no.'_ Danny thinks to himself.

He checks the text and feels his face turning crimson.

_'I came by to talk but your roommate told me you were with your boyfriend. Make sure to use protection, little bro.'_

Danny quickly deletes the text and throws his phone onto the table. He sinks in his chair and covers his face with his hands as a noise escapes his throat.

It kind of sounds like a dying whale.        


	3. Chapter 3

Vlad had just sliced a rather hefty piece of the cake for Daniel when he heard the other halfa's phone buzz. He glanced in his direction with a raised brow, only to chuckle at the reaction.

Judging by the noise, he was guessing it had been something embarrassing. And he seized the chance as he returned to the table to set dessert in front of him.

"Now who was that? And what did they say to make you blush so hard?"

****

Danny's appetite returns a bit at the small of the butter cake.

"Apparently my dorm mate told Jazz I was with my boyfriend, even though I never told Ricki we were dating, just that I'd be moving in with you."

Danny makes the noise again before continuing.

"Jazz sent a text telling me to use protection."

****

"Did she now?"

Vlad arched one perfectly sculpted brow, and after a moment's consideration removed his phone from his pocket. He was certain Daniel's sister knew exactly who he was spending time with, so a little response was in order. It only took a few taps before his text was sent.

_'Jasmine, while I do appreciate your concern for your brother, I have no intentions of having sex with him tonight.'_

****

"OH MY GOD! What did you just text her!" Danny stares in mortification at Vlad's phone.

"Do you realize you just threw gas onto a fire? She is going to -"

Danny's phone rings on the table. Not the buzz of a text, but actual music.

Danny grabs his phone, flips it open, and hits talk.

"Hey, Jazz."

"I KNEW IT! I SO KNEW IT! OH MY GOD, DANNY WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?!"

Danny looks at Vlad, "I wanted to tell you in person, but Vlad kind of beat me to it."

****

"I believe she knew before we did, Daniel."

Vlad's voice was light as he bit into a piece of his own cake, humming in approval. He could think of a few tweaks to make to that recipe now that he'd tasted it, but this would do for now. Maybe it wasn't perfect but it did taste good.

After a moment Vlad reaches over to fiddle with the other halfa's phone long enough to put it on speaker. He had a feeling this would quickly turn into a three way conversation. Although it wasn't like he hadn't heard Jasmine's greeting easily enough.

"To be fair, it's only been official for... Oh, what, twenty four hours?"

****

"A little less." Danny picks up his fork and pokes at his cake, "I have a question. Yesterday...you didn't come over on purpose. You didn't have any plans, did you?"

"I did. My plans consisted of eating chips and binge watching Scrubs." Danny can hear her smug expression, "How did it happen? Tell me, please! I've been watching the two of you pine for each other for forever."

****

Vlad had suspected as much when Jasmine had turned down the invitation. He offered Daniel a knowing look before taking another bite of cake, leaning his chin on his knuckles before offering up an answer.

"Oh, you know how those things happen. He kissed me, I kissed him, and then we cuddled all night."

****

Danny throws his head back and covers his face with both hands as Jazz lets out a high pitched squeal.

"YOU CUDDLED?!" She screams again, "Oh, I'm so happy for you guys!"

Suddenly she coughs and says in a serious voice, "Vlad, do I have to have the 'don't hurt my brother' talk with you?"

Danny lets out another whale noise.

****

The high pitched shrieking only hurt Vlad's ears a little. But that certainly didn't stop him from wincing halfway through a bite, and sighing softly as the mood abruptly changed. He really shouldn't be surprised that the overprotective older sister conversation was coming.

"Aside from the fact that Daniel is an adult and can make his own decisions," Vlad reminded firmly, pausing for a moment before continuing. "If I ever hurt him, intentionally or not, by all means I'll gladly turn myself over for whatever retribution you deem fit."

****

"Good." Jazz hums, "And Danny, if you're -"

"Jazz, oh my god, stop talking." Danny lowers his face, "I know, I know."

"Good. Just...be safe. And use protection, guys, seriously."

Danny wants to cry. He can take teasing. He has for years, but this was too much.

"Oh my god, Jazz."

"You'll be using a different name in the future, but alright."

"OH MY GOD!" Danny buries his face in his arms and just about dies from all the blood rushing to his face.

****

It was taking all of Vlad's self-control not to chuckle at Daniel's response to his sister's teasing. He duteously hid his smile with bites of his cake before kindly removing the halfa's phone and switching it off of speaker, putting it up to his ear.

"Jasmine, I assure you that you have no reason to worry. We're both mature adults, and at least one of us knows what we're doing." Most of the time, anyway. "Now, do stop torturing your brother. Your sadistic streak is starting to rival mine, and we can't have that, now can we?"

****

Danny can almost hear what Jazz says in response to that and he's sure it's something sarcastic.

Jazz could be so cruel when she wanted to be.

"I never gave you his hard of a time about Dash!" He says loud enough for Jazz to hear.

He stabs at his slice of cake and takes a bite. It's not quite as good as grandma's but it was a hell of a first try. Danny knows for a fact that neither of his parents could do this well on a hundredth try, let alone a first.

****

It was just the reminder Vlad had needed. He knew, of course, that Jasmine and Dash were dating. It had come up at a "family dinner" about a year ago... Thanksgiving, he thought? Long enough that a little polite prying was in order.

He switched the phone back to speaker and set it down once again, leaning forward with a mischievous smile.

"Speaking of which, how are you and Mr. Baxter doing?"

****

Jazz squawks but replies, "We're fine. We use protection when we do anything."

Danny chokes on his cake.

"And that's the important thing. Being safe and happy."

****

"I wasn't talking about your sex life, Jasmine."

It was the perfect revenge scheme. Dash was one of many under the Master's Scholarship - which had picked up what his football scholarships hadn't. The man had done well once he'd finally pulled his head out of his ass. He was on his way to being a first round draft pick.

Hopefully he'd end up on the Packers.

"I've heard some interesting rumors, you know. Something about... Jewelry stores?"

****

Danny kicks Vlad under the table and glares, mouth 'shut up'.

"What? What are you talking about? IS HE BUYING ME JEWELRY FOR MY BIRTHDAY!! UGH THAT JERK! HE KNOWS IM ALLERGIC TO EVERYTHING BUT STERLING SILVER BUT HE ALWAYS BUYS ME GOLD! EVERY TIME! AND - wait...wait. Why are you telling me this? Are you toying with me, Vlad Masters? YOU DON'T TOY WITH A WOMANS RELATIONSHIP! HAVE YOU LEARNED NOTHING??"

There's a hideous noise on the other end of the line. While Danny's odd noises sound like a dying whale, Jazz's odd noises sound more like a pterodactyl screeching from the high heavens.

A click cuts off their phone call as Jazz hangs up.

"Smooth move there, Masters." Danny glares, but his tone is teasing.

It was actually a pretty great move.

****

"She'll torture herself over what that rumor could possibly mean, but she'll never guess the truth of it," Vlad hummed lightly, flashing Daniel a mischievous grin and finishing off the last of his cake.

"I still don't think she's realized that Dash does the gold thing on purpose. He built up her expectations one way so he can surprise her even more with the ring he's picked out."

It was a brilliant move, really. He had to respect that Dash had been playing a long game from the very start.

"Speaking of which, has he showed it to you yet?"

****

"Yeah, he has." Danny grumbles, "His first thought for a ring was a big diamond, but I told him about how much Jazz hated moms ring cause it always caught on everything so she had to wear it backwards. So I convinced him to get one of those flat ones like guys usually get. So the diamond is still in there, but it's all flat so nothing will get caught."

"Still weirded out that Dash could be my brother-in-law. But the only thing that matters is that she's happy, I guess."

****

"And he does genuinely care about her, as evidenced by the fact he heeded your advice on picking out the ring."

Vlad chuckled at the dour expression on the other halfa's face, getting up to take his dish to the sink and leaning down to press a quick kiss to his forehead on the way by. He understood the history between the two men, and it was good that they'd both done their best to set the past aside.

"What about you? I don't suppose you have any pet peeves when it comes to jewelry?"

****

"Not really. I mean...I can wear anything, but most of the time I just..." he shrugs, "meh. I mean, I have three piercings on each ear, but I never wear any earrings ‘cause they mainly get in the way. You?"

****

Vlad coughed awkwardly in reply to the question, taking a moment to consider just how he was going to answer it. He could tell Daniel the entire truth... But then again, he supposed it didn't hurt to give him a hint.

"Well, I don't have any visible piercings. And I don't wear jewelry that often. I suppose we're similar, in that regard."

He does have a Packers championship ring that he'd bought years ago and keeps as a display piece.

****

Danny squints at Vlad, "What kind of...non visible piercings?"

He goes through all of the nonvisible piercings he knows and quickly stops because he's getting _excited._

Here he was, thinking Vlad was all prim and proper and the older man tells him that he has nonvisible piercings.

****

"Do you really want me to ruin the surprise?"

Vlad would tell if Daniel continued to pry, of course. But he has to admit he's rather fond of just how excited the other halfa seemed to be getting. He supposed he should thank 27-year-old him for getting that drunk and having terrible ideas.

And sober 27-year-old him for choosing not to simply remove the piercings when he found them the next morning.

****

Danny has a bit of an existential crisis. Vlad's words were teasing and...slightly alluring.

"Yes and no? Like I...I want to know, but I'm also a little...scared? Like how...what?"

****

"The how is that I was young and very very drunk," Vlad explained lightly, glancing over towards Daniel as he began washing the dishes.

"How about this. I can show you one, and you can simmer on the other."

****

"Okay." Danny blurts out way too fast.

He licks his lips before pulling his lower lip between his teeth.

"I mean," he coughs, "If you want."

****

Vlad laughs at the clear eagerness in Daniel's voice, finishing up with the dishes and glances to see what time it was. Not too late just yet. There was still daylight out.

"Fancy a swim?"

It was the perfect way to show him, really. Something that required him to be shirtless without simply stripping half naked in the middle of the kitchen.

****

Danny wants to internally scream at how much of a tease Vlad is being. Instead he tilts his head and gives a coy smile, "I didn't bring a bathing suit and I'm not really one for skinny dipping. But I'd love to watch you enjoy yourself."

He laces the last part of his sentence with enough innuendo to knock down a brick wall.

****

"I supposed that's just as well. I do like the water rather hot."

It was so easy to return the teasing, perhaps with just a bit less innuendo. Really, Vlad could be perfectly comfortable in boiling hot water. He supposed they'd have to find a happy medium if they were to ever use the pool at the same time.

"Meet me outside, then? I'll need to change."

****

"Sure." Danny stands and leaves the kitchen without another word.

As he's making his way towards the pool, his heart starts palpitating. He's so screwed. And not even _by_ Vlad, but _because_ of him. He knows he's going to have to sneak off and take care of the erection he's 90% sure he'll be sporting after this.

For god's sake he was already half hard.

He gets to the pool and sits in one of the lounge chairs.

While he normally loves to swim, he knows Vlad's body temperature is a lot higher than normal and he probably enjoyed his water as hot as he was.

Which was incredibly.

****

It was a simple matter for Vlad to change into his trunks. And perhaps, just perhaps, he might have even intentionally chosen his show off pair. They weren't anything he would wear in public, but in the privacy of his own home? Oh, absolutely.

A few minutes passed before he joined Daniel on the deck that the pool was built into, throwing a towel onto one of the lounge chairs next to him.

He glanced towards the other halfa with a mischievous grin before effortlessly diving into the pool from the edge. The water was warm, perhaps ten or twenty degrees off what he would consider ideal, but there was only so much the heater could do on its own.

The last adjustment would have to be a personal touch.

****

Vlad walks out in the smallest pair of swim trunks Danny has _ever seen_. He has to remind himself to breathe as he gets a full view of the older man's body. His entire body is built solidly and his ass looks amazing.

_'Jesus Christ are those nipple piercings?'_

He's definitely going to have to sneak off to relieve his arousal later. He lounges in the chair with his arms crossed and his legs pressed together. He watches as Vlad swims and he bites the nail of his thumb.

****

Vlad was keenly aware of Daniel's eyes on him as he swam. The halfa wasn't particularly subtle about his staring, although admittedly he hadn't exactly made it easy on him. But it wasn't all that often there was someone he felt so comfortable showing off for.

It was perhaps five minutes before the water had heated up properly, trailing thin wisps of steam above its surface that vanished into the night air. He was tempted to push it a bit further, but he imagined Daniel might not react well to him swimming in boiling water.

"Perhaps next time you could bring your swimsuit as well."

****

Danny sits forward, crossing his legs, and leans his arm on his knee and his chin on his hand.

"Fun fact: I don't actually own one. Haven't since I was like...sixteen." He shrugs.

When he'd moved to college, he figured he'd never really go swimming, even though Vlad had a pool. And he didn't. He was always too busy.

****

"And I imagine you'd complain if I attempt to buy you one?"

Vlad's tone was playful, but he would have to remember that for later. Perhaps he could drop a not-so-subtle hint about it to Jasmine. It would be a shame for Daniel to move in without a swimsuit, although he supposed the other halfa could always skinny dip.

****

"Just this once? No. But it can't be the tiny thing you're wearing. I think I'd die of embarrassment."

Swim trunks weren't that expensive. Like, what, seven, maybe ten, dollars?

But then again, he's not really focused on the thought of Vlad buying him things. He watches as Vlad swims and lays the arm not being used to prop his head up across his lap.

He hopes it looks casual, because his dick his...rather happy with the sight before him.

****

"I don't think you need a suit like this. Yoga pants have the same effect."

Vlad very pointedly glanced Daniel over with a raised brow, swimming over to lean against the edge of the pool and float in the water. It wasn't particularly often that he'd seen the other man do yoga, but on the rare occasion...

Well, his yoga pants did wonders with outlining the shape of his ass.

****

Danny blushes at Vlad's words, "That...that wasn't...really?" He smiles, "I've never seen my ass in yoga pants."

But he knew that they made his ass look great. He'd worn his yoga pants on purpose every time he knew Vlad would be near. He may have been...flaunting a bit.

"To be fair, it's really hard to do most of my advanced moves in jeans. I mean, it's possible, but it's hell trying to do advanced Plough Pose in jeans. So tight."

He figures he is being a little mean. If Vlad knew what Plough pose was...oh well.

****

Vlad supposed he deserved that. After all the teasing he'd put Daniel through today, it was only fair that he took some in return.

Still, if asked he would absolutely blame the redness of his face on the heat of the water. It wasn't like it was a particularly hard lie to believe. The water was hot enough that his skin was beginning to pink up from the warmth, although he would never burn.

"Perhaps I should take a picture some time so you can admire it."

****

"You can take a picture, but I wouldn't want to keep it. Feel free to keep it, though."

He's a little disheartened that Vlad hadn't reacted to in any way other than his skin flushing, which could have just as easily been the water.

"I'm going to have to bring all of my work out clothes if I'm going to live here, so you'll have plenty of chances."

****

"That's a dangerous offer, Daniel. For all you know, I could frame it and hang it up in the house somewhere."

He wouldn't really, of course. Although he might have to look into getting just the right shot of Daniel doing yoga. Even if it was a little bit cliché, he could imagine just the right piece would make a gorgeous focal point in the living room. Maybe he could talk the other halfa into a photoshoot...

"But I'll be certain to capitalize on those chances."

****

"Feel free." Danny winks, "I'm not self-conscious. And I'm probably going to spend quite a bit of time eyeing you. Of course, if you don't mind."

****

"You do realize that both your family and your best friends are regular guests of mine, don't you?"

Vlad arched a brow in Daniel's direction, gently pushing himself away from the edge of the pool and turning to float on his back. So, a framed picture of Daniel was okay. Maybe he should ask about a photoshoot of him doing yoga... He imagined he could get some lovely shots.

****

Danny shrugs, "As long as they all already know, I don't see a problem with it." He watches Vlad float in the water, captivated by the older man and his beauty.

"Speaking of my best friends, they're both still ignoring me. I must have left like...three voicemails. For each of them."

****

“I think I'd much rather have a picture of you doing yoga in general to frame. Not necessarily one of your behind."

Vlad hummed lightly, closing his eyes and exhaling a steamy breath. The heat of the water was soothing, and he didn't quite notice it beginning to bubble softly around him. A low simmer closest to him, just enough to give away just how hot it was beginning to get.

"I'd offer to attempt to contact them myself, but I don't imagine that would make it any better."

****

"They'd probably yell at you. They don't like you at all. Even though I keep telling them you've changed."

"Maybe I should visit them tomorrow. Tell them about us." He hesitates, "They might disown me."

****

Vlad considered it for a moment. He couldn't blame the two. He'd done much in his past that he wasn't proud of, and they'd been witness to a good deal. Their suspicion was entirely warranted.

"You could invite them up here for the week. The only times they've ever visited have normally been when your family was around as well. Perhaps it might help if they had an opportunity to get to know me without the chaos that brings?"

****

"I'd have to get in contact with them before ever inviting them here. But I'll keep that in mind."

Danny sighs, "And speaking of my family," He knows this is going to get a little...awkward, "Jazz already knows, but...what are we going to tell my parents?"

****

"The truth, I imagine."

Vlad chuckled softly, kicking at the water until he drifted back towards Daniel and glancing up at him. He hoped his smile was reassuring. He couldn't entire predict what Jack and Maddie would say, but he couldn't imagine they wouldn't be supportive even if they didn't completely understand it.

"It's rather simple. We have grown quite close since you've been at college. And we've had much more time to talk on a more personal level than we did in years past. It isn't entirely unreasonable that we might discover we were compatible."

****

Danny frets, "Yeah. I mean...it's not...It's not unreasonable. I mean...It's actually taken us a rather long time to get together. Considering, you know...everything."

He sighs, "Ugh, you're always the voice of reason. Don't you ever get tired of reassuring me?"

****

"Never, but just in case, you can ask me again this time next year."

He flashed a grin at Daniel, tipping back until he ducked under the water. It only took a quick twist to right himself, and once he was back on his feet he moved to climb out of the pool. A good long soak was just what he'd needed for the night, but he imagined he couldn't remain forever.

And while he moved to grab his towel, he didn't quite need it for much more than to wrap around his waist for Daniel's sake. A quick flash ghostly power from his core had him dried off in seconds, the water evaporating in seconds.

"Your friends will come around. Just like your parents will. They love you, and they'll all support you no matter what."

****

Danny mockingly glares at Vlad, "I guess. And if not...well that's their problem, right?"

Danny stands and stretches, "But, that's a problem for another day. I'm tired. You wanna head to bed?"

****

"Precisely."

Vlad offered his arm to Daniel, waiting for him to take it before moving to return to the house. He flipped a switch to close the cover to the pool behind him before leading the other halfa upstairs.

"Shower first, I do believe. Then bed."

****

"You can go ahead, I took one after class." Danny blushes, the heat radiating off of Vlad is a bit...too much.

"I'm going to get ready for bed."

****

"I suppose I'll see you once I'm done, then."

He leaned down to give Daniel a quick peck on the lips before retrieving a pair of pajamas and heading into the master bathroom. Really, he just didn't want to go to sleep with chlorine residue still on his skin. It always seemed to bother him when he evaporated himself dry after swimming - unless he washed it off, at least.

****

Danny goes and grabs his pajama pants and changes into them. While he typically would sleep in his underwear, he figured he'd ease Vlad into that. No need to give him a heart attack.

Danny slips under the covers and sits with his legs crosses as he pulls out his ponytail. He rakes his fingers through his hair a few times before braiding it loosely.

Once he's done, ha fall backwards and closes his eyes, waiting for Vlad.

****

It wasn't particularly long before Vlad was finished. A quick fifteen minutes saw him walking out from the bathroom, perfectly dressed in his own pajamas with his hair braided over one shoulder much like the previous night.

He paused briefly when he noticed Daniel was shirtless, and with the sheets pulled over his lap it was difficult to tell whether he had on pants at all. Surely he wouldn't...

"Do I need to be worried about what I'm going to find under there?"

****

Danny laughs at Vlad's worried face, "No. I decided to save your heart attack for another day. I have pants on, so don't get yours in a twist."

He decides to be a little meaner, "You're lucky I decided to wear pants, I usually sleep in my underwear or nude."

While that last part was true, it was only on occasions where he was overheating or he knew he'd be alone. For certain.

****

Vlad groaned softly at the implication, pinching the bridge of his nose and inhaling a deep breath before moving to climb into bed. He supposed he deserved that, after just what he'd implied earlier that day.

"Truly, your generosity astounds."

****

Danny laughs, "I know, right?"

He leans over and kisses Vlad, "I'm so nice."

****

Vlad chuckled and returned Daniel's kiss, settling in next to him and tugging him down to settle in.

"Truly you are a paragon amongst our kind."

****

Danny laughs and lays down, using Vlad's chest as a pillow, "I try my hardest."

****

It only took a moment to have the lights turned off, and Vlad shifted to press one last kiss to Daniel's forehead.

"You do a good job."


End file.
